Kokoro No Iro
by Angelus Erreare
Summary: Shin Megami Tensei: Digital Devil Saga 1 Colors had always been associated with a person's persona. Argilla finds out the reason for Heat's behavioral discrepancy. Pairing: Heat x Argilla. WARNING: INGAME, LANGUAGE, LEMON. ONESHOT!


**Kokoro no Iro**

**By: Angelus Erreare**

**Disclaimer: I own nothing. All belongs to ATLUS USA. **

**A/N: This was supposed to be a Valentine's Day ficcie. But sadly, I didn't get to complete it in time. But still, I have to post it, no? **

**But nonetheless, this fic is dedicated to my favorite Mika-chan and her unending support for me…and for her unending support for the H/A ship! **

**LOL! Mika-chan, this is for you…while you're waiting for your request fic. It's not much, but it's the best I could come up within in short notice. I hope you enjoy it, even if just a bit.**

**WARNING: IN-GAME, OOC, MODERATE LANGUAGE, LEMON. **

**Note: **

**In-game but not really. You all will understand if you read on. **

xxxxx

She looked around her; from left to right, noting with a keen pair of eyes how each of them had seemingly changed after that bright light.

She narrowed her eyes as she really saw things for what they were.

She laughed to herself.

How she never saw it before, she didn't know. Well, regardless, she saw them now.

She looked with a pair of curious pink eyes why each of them had different hair color…

She tilted her head to the side in wonder. Why did they have multi-colored hair? Scratch that. Why did they have eye colors that matched their hair? Where did they get their hair color from…? Was it from the gods?

Or their parents…?

'What are parents…?' she thought in even more confusion.

She shook her head. She was getting way out of topic.

She blinked and watched the people go by. There they were, at Sahasrara. All tribal leaders had been summoned and there she was, just appreciating the otherwise dull scenario before her.

She sighed and there let her eyes land on her other teammate.

Suddenly, her stomach churned as she gazed at him.

There he was, standing, poised as if bored; his face though, conveyed nothing but intensity. Aa, so he was as curious about this meeting as she was.

Hm.

It would take a while until all their questions could be answered. Serph had just left a few moments before…

She shook her head; she was getting sidetracked again! She looked at Heat again and there, this time, he seemed to have noticed her stare and there looked back at her, his red eyes boring into her pink ones.

She instantly looked away.

A moment later, when she knew that he was no longer looking, she gazed at him once more. She tilted her head to the side again as she noted his fiery red hair.

'Huh…I've seen those but…'

Yes; she indeed had seen red hair before. There had been many among them who possessed such hair. But none of them had flared and burned with exuberance and radiance the way Heat's hair did.

At that thought, her hand went to her chin in wistful thought.

Hm…

At that moment, her reverie had been broken as she saw her leader exit the temple. She looked at him and saw his grave face.

She blinked.

He always did look like that…

'Dull…' she thought with a tummy ache, '…and kind of boring…' she mentally added.

She watched with fascination as Serph and Heat spoke. There she could see the discrepancy in their behavior.

Heat was lively, energetic and expressive while Serph was…as dry, drab and dull as ever. She had never really paid much attention to the details before…but now…

She blinked as her mind suddenly had a vision.

"Maybe…" she muttered to herself as she continued to watch Heat blab and blab away while Serph remained as steadfast and unmoving as a boulder.

'Maybe our hair and eye color is designated with a particular…trait.' she thought as she continued to ponder.

Hm.

Well, she knew it was a stupid thing to think of during a time of war…

But…

She also knew that wondering about things such as colors was a welcomed break from all the bloodshed and confusion.

'Besides, it could help against enemies too. I mean, if I'm right then, weaknesses and strengths could be interpreted through their colors.' she internally justified.

Feeling all the more confident, she walked towards her comrade and leader. She really didn't want to wait until things got out of hand for her to split the two apart.

She knew that Heat's temper had been irregular after all…

Oh well.

xxxxx

It had been a week now since their mark had appeared.

She had been watching her teammates closely…

And she had noted with great concentration each of her comrades' unique traits. That and of course the cornerstone of her "research"; the correlation of such traits and their hair and eye color.

Well, it had been another day for them all. And there she was, sitting comfortably on a chair as Gale briefed them on their mission.

Impassively, she let her eyes scan each of her teammates, mentally recollecting her findings.

'So…who's my first victim?'

Her eyes fell on the youngest person in their team.

Cielo.

Cielo; blue.

She smiled within. Cielo had that upbeat and cheerful behavior. He was the least experienced and made many mistakes…But at the same time, he was never a quitter and always had a smile on his face.

He was cheerful and lively.

He did the silliest of things.

She snorted as she remembered his antics. She had heard the story of him using what had been a "cat" so that he had been able to leave his quarters.

Her smile widened, 'He's such a kid…'

And she justified that behavior even if she didn't know what a "kid" had been exactly. Cielo's behavior was as predictable as it was understandable. He acted in the way an inexperienced greenhorn in combat did.

'So…it's like that. Blue is…affiliated with…being inexperienced and…stupid…?' she thought with a feeling of sudden wonder.

She giggled; that was the best way to describe Cielo alright.

She laughed inwardly at that.

A moment later, she let her eyes fall onto her next target.

Gale.

Gale; green.

She playfully pouted as she recalled her teammate's behavior. Gale had always been calm…cool and collected. He had always been the most steadfast of them all; well, aside from Serph that is.

Gale had never panicked.

Never.

Even when the situation seemed so hopeless, he would always have his brilliant mind working on a way out. His mind never stopped surging and reeling for a solution to any and every problem that came his or their way.

'Hm…So…green is…calmness…? Green means…being balanced and…maybe being…cold.' she thought with a small nod. Yes, in her opinion, that was a good way to portray Gale's behavior. Moreover, it was an explanation for Gale's behavior.

His behavior was justified.

He was Embryon's tactician, hence, he had always been faced with unreal situations in which one needed to have a cool head; at all times. Even when situations were tricky, confusing and seemingly bleak, one in his position should always remain calm.

But that was beside the point, in Argilla's opinion. The portrayal of Gale's behavior was consistent; on and off the battlefield.

He had always been that…cold and distant man. Even when he was off duty, the man was…indifferent.

She then nodded, 'Yup. No doubt about it. Green is definitely his color.' she thought more confidently now as she gazed into his emerald eyes that were apparently dead and his cool green and cold hair.

She shook her head then and closed her eyes; she feared that if she looked at Gale any further, that she might end up like him!

She sweat-dropped, 'Thank God for the color pink!'

Wanting to relieve herself of the chilling thoughts of their enigmatic and eccentric tactician, she let her thoughts and sights meander over to the next person in line. She made a sour face.

Serph.

Serph; gray.

'Gee…the apple really doesn't fall that far from the tree eh…?' she thought dryly, rolling her eyes a bit. She suddenly froze, 'Just what the heck did I just say?' she asked herself, confused about her own apparent random phrasing.

'Where did that come from…?' she thought with a light scratching on the head, wondering what "apples" and "trees" were.

She shook her head, 'Who cares…?'

She looked at her leader again and there made the same drawling face.

'Oh yea…'

She forced herself to intensify her gaze at him, noting his grayish silver hair and eyes…and noticing the vacant expression in his eyes. She narrowed her pink eyes at him and raised an eyebrow.

No.

His eyes weren't empty…

There were sensations…within. But one thing was for sure; he himself knew not what they were.

She watched as Serph, in turn, watched Gale. She blinked; Serph had always been the least expressive amongst them. He said the least but…even then, he _did_ the most. She smiled as she remembered how he did almost everything that she had asked of him.

Even if he said nothing, it would be his twinkling yet dull grayish silver eyes that would serve her the approval that she sorely needed. And that was why she was fond of him.

She then froze as a sensation found itself within her chest.

'What the-? About Serph…?' she thought in fragmented silent deliberation as she realized her thoughts of appreciation and fondness centering around her strange leader.

At that point, her face turned into the same shade as her hair and eyes; a shade of baby pink.

She shook her head again, 'Focus on his traits…_traits_!' she screamed inwardly, nodding in approval how her mind worked with her this time, beseeching her wishes.

'Hm…' she thought as she brought a hand to her chin in thought as she recalled Serph's behavior.

She then made another sour face, 'That's just it…Every time I think of Serph…there's just that…dull feeling.'

In fact, that was the way it had been for the young leader. He rarely spoke and when he did, it would be a short burst of gentle words…Not even a complete sentence.

Heat had even commented that he was naïve when he had agreed with her in her refusal to use trickery to gain the strategic upper hand against the Maribel…

But she doubted that he was naïve.

She smiled.

Serph had led their people to victory; one after another. It had been a victory upon another victory.

'You're wrong Heat. If he's naïve…we wouldn't have survived this far.' she thought in total gratitude.

And so, as if hearing her words of thanks, the silver-haired man turned his face towards her, those dull yet twinkling eyes staring at her.

She blushed and looked away.

She didn't know why…but she did it all the same.

He seemed to have understood the message and looked away as well. At that, another realization came to Argilla's mind, now having her picture of her leader complete within her head.

'You're not naïve sir…' she thought with kind conviction. 'You're…young…but you're wise beyond your years. You're…the true definition of…wisdom.'

Suddenly it all clicked for the pink-haired woman.

She couldn't help but giggle a bit, 'That's it! Maybe that's the reason why the gods had blessed him with gray silver hair!' she blinked rapidly as she thought more about it.

Yes.

His behavior was consistent wasn't it?

She smiled, 'Gray must be…the color of…wisdom…and at the same time…boredom.' she finished as she realized that although her leader was an effective presiding commander-in-chief and a wise young man, it didn't change the fact that he was…aloof and awkward within social gatherings.

She had gathered that it wasn't his thing to do.

But then again, that wasn't the issue.

'The gods had given us the colors that befit our traits.' she thought boldly, now closing the book on her dull yet respectable leader.

Wanting to take a break from boring people, her thoughts meandered to the only person that should be present among them…who wasn't.

She then frowned, 'Sera…'

She furrowed her eyebrows.

Varin had called her the devil. And she didn't know why.

'Sera…didn't know anything about herself. She didn't know where she came from or who she is…How could he call her that…?' she thought in confusion and disbelief.

Wanting to set aside Varin's ominous words, she thought of the girl once more. Her pink eyes dazzled as she smiled as she recalled the girl's gentle aura.

Yes; that was what Sera made her feel. No; it wasn't just her. It was all of them. Sera's aura had made them all feel…safe…and wanted. She made them feel as if they were welcomed within her warm and soft arms; safe and secure…accepted and loved.

She blinked, 'Loved…?'

What was love to begin with?

At that moment, her stomach churned painfully. There were just too many words that…she knew not the meaning of. And moreover, there had just been too many sensations that she comprehended not.

Love, being one of them.

She sighed, 'I think this is a hopeless case.' she thought with a drawl.

So, this time, she had focused on the girl's traits.

She thought deeply; none of them had ever seen hair and eye color like hers. Black. Argilla pouted; Sera was a puzzle that all of them were…eager to solve. She had the keys to Nirvana…that much they knew. But everything else had been a mystery.

Right from where she came from to how she vanished was a mystery; it was an enigma that drew people to her…like a moth being drawn to a brilliantly alluring burning flame…

Everything about her enticed and allured people; from the way she would smile…to the way her eyes twinkled and dazzled…to the way she spoke her gentle and kind words…right down to the way she sat…

But the most alluring thing about her would be…

'Her voice.'

Yes; she had been the one to have introduced to them the wondrous thing called "song". And likewise, it had been the mysterious black-haired girl who had given them that lightheaded and warm feeling…

Argilla smiled wholeheartedly at that.

'That's why the gods had given her the color black. Black is…the unknown…It's mysterious…' She then visualized how the girl walked; how light and deliberate her steps were…and how her hips swayed as she took her steps.

Argilla giggled, 'Elegant…'

She then nodded.

Again, Sera's behavior was consistent. Her behavior changed not in the course of time. Her behavior was consistent with her color.

'Behavior like none other. Color like none other.' she justified.

She then chuckled.

But this time, it wasn't unheard.

"Would you just…shut up woman!?" a voice thundered, shattering the pink-haired woman's moment of silent reflection.

At that point, she froze, gathered her thoughts and looked around. All were looking at her direction, curiosity written all over their features.

She blushed.

Well, everyone was curious; all except one.

She quickly recovered from her embarrassed state as she heard the red-headed man drawl, "Your brainless head is flying everywhere! It's damn annoying!" he told her. "You've been sitting there like a total idiot laughing every few seconds! What the hell is the matter with you!?"

Hearing his words of insult and mockery, she felt anger rise within her. But still, she kept her cool. If she lost her temper now, she'd only embarrass herself.

Argilla leaned back on the chair easily and let a smirk grace her luscious lips, "Laughing every few seconds eh…?" she drawled, "How would you know? You've been listening to me the whole time…?"

"…!"

Heat could say nothing. He only managed a sharply surprised gasp.

Argilla's mind was reeling and her inner self was prancing around like an idiot, 'Gotcha!'

"She got you dere brudda." said their blue-haired companion.

The fragile and gentle aura of tense and anxiety-filled serenity came to a screeching halt at the young man's statement.

And there, chuckles echoed in the room.

Argilla was laughing too as she gazed at Heat's face. There he was as red as his hair and eyes. She grinned evilly, 'Serves you right for trying to embarrass me…'

Heat's vision was spinning. But all the same, he found himself tongue-tied.

'That…that bitch…'

Argilla saw how he squirmed on the spot in which he stood. Needless to say that she was enjoying it…But at the same time, something within her flickered in curiosity.

Heat.

Red.

She blinked as she looked at him, looking at the way his body was poised…and the way he tried to hide the little jerky movements that he was doing…

'He's hiding…' she told herself…which was a total contradiction to his behavioral patterns.

She was confused.

Heat had been given the color red for a reason. He had always been the definition of strength…power…blood and carnage.

But what she was seeing in front of her…displayed none of such characteristics.

It was as if he had been acting upon a different personality; a completely _opposite_ one…a contradiction and an oxymoron to what he had always been. The Heat that she had pictured in her mind would never let such taunting statements get the better of him and embarrass him…most especially not enough so that not only it may get the better of him, but that it would embarrass him and get him to act cowardly…abandoning his bravery.

No. Never.

Heat was the definition of courage…being forward…relentless and courageous.

But this one…

This one was inconsistent in his _supposed_ behavioral patterns.

The Heat that she had known wouldn't have even cared about the statements and probably moved onward with the discussion at hand. But this one was…_dwelling_ on it.

"Alright, if you've finished with your shenanigans, I would proceed with the briefing." said a calm voice.

Argilla smiled within.

Aa, typical reliable old Gale.

Whenever any one of them would go astray, he would always be present to stir them right again.

'Consistent with his behavioral patterns…' she thought as she now listened to the briefing with all the concentration that she could muster but nonetheless never letting Heat's behavioral deviation leave her mental faculties.

xxxxx

She had watched him for a few days and nights now. Never intentionally…but then again, for one reason or the other, their paths would always seem to cross.

Not that she minded, of course.

For her, it merely provided another instance wherein she could study him a bit better. From where she would see him, she could get a clearer picture of the reason for his behavioral deviation.

Of course, she knew that whatever correlation she had made between their eyes and hair color and their behaviors was something purely hypothetical, she knew that Heat was behaving abnormally.

He had changed ever since that light.

And so had everyone else.

But unlike everyone else, Heat's behavioral patterns had gone astray and had become fragmented…unlike Serph and the others.

Serph and the others had unlocked their own emotions and their own personas…and stuck with them while Heat on the other hand…

She shook her head.

She could only wonder as to the reason for that…

And that was the reason why she was tailing him.

'Heat…What the heck happened to you?' she thought in wistful thought.

She frowned as she suddenly found herself without her target. She scratched her head. 'Where the heck did he go…?' she thought as she looked from left to right, noting that she was in between Muladhara's buildings, within an alley.

She turned back and saw that the sun had already set…and the street lights had been turned on. She then turned onward and looked at what lay before her.

She raised an eyebrow.

Drat.

She had lost him.

She turned back and started to walk when she noted that the place in which she had found herself was quite a distance from the main road. It had been like a maze within a maze. She shrugged her shoulders, and began to walk.

She took several steps and gave up.

There would be other times to tail Heat.

She continued her light steps when suddenly a hand shot up from the corner and hauled her in towards the other corner. She gasped in surprise and parted her lips to lash out angrily at her attacker but not a note left her mouth as her assaulter's hand clamped her mouth shut. She then growled as she was slammed against the concrete wall behind her, consequently, hitting the back of her head against the aforesaid wall.

There was a man pressing himself against her, holding her frame captive. Her quick mind immediately set to work to free herself but her efforts proved futile as her attacker had undoubtedly read her moves before she could execute them herself.

She gasped again against his palm as he pinned her effectively, using his whole bodyweight to weigh her down.

She squinted her eyes and saw only his silhouette, his shadow before her. And before she could bark and yell against his palm, he had spoken first, "Don't you know that if you play with fire that you'll get burned?" he asked mockingly, slowly removing his palm from her soft pink lips.

At hearing his deep masculine voice and after noting the amusement in his tone, did Argilla finally decipher the enigma that was his identity.

As if hearing her thoughts and her realizations, the man smirked and bared his teeth at her in a Cheshire cat's grin.

"Heat." she spoke calmly, clearly not intimidated and clearly unimpressed.

The man was probably offended as she saw the grin slowly dissipate from his lips. Argilla could only wonder as to why…

"What the heck are you doing Heat?!" she asked as she found that he still hadn't freed her. "Let go damn it!" she hissed.

At hearing her, Heat's grin returned, "Not so fast." he told her truthfully, "First you're going to tell me why you've been tailing me woman."

She blinked; damn!

What now!? She couldn't possibly tell him that!

'Damn! Can't get caught!'

'But what should I say!?'

'Say anything!'

'Anything!?'

'What-you have a better idea!?'

Heat sweat-dropped. The woman against him had that empty look in her eyes that told him that he had practically lost her.

'Man…She's totally gone.' he thought.

Argilla snapped out of her daze as she heard herself scream within her head, telling her to just tell Heat whatever cockamamie excuse that she could come up with.

"I got lost."

Well, there it was.

'That's the best thing you can come up with?!' a voice within herself screamed.

She made a sour face internally, 'Hey! I don't hear you coming up with something better!!' she responded just as haughtily.

Heat was amused at what he had heard to be sure. That was the best story that she could come up with…? And there he was thinking that she had actually possessed sharp wits about her! He supposed that he was mistaken about that.

He was amused to be sure and he had even gone as far as to taunt the woman…

But she was unresponsive yet again.

And so, he was getting annoyed. This woman was having a world of her own! She hadn't just disappeared on him once, but she was doing it again too!

"Hey!" he yelled, snapping his fingers in front of her face, catching her attention.

She looked at him with a dazed look on her face, "What…?"

Heat was getting annoyed and totally losing his mood…

Mood…?

He smirked internally at that.

Oh there was something within him that was in the mood for _something_ alright…

"You can't fool me with that excuse Argilla." he told her truthfully.

Argilla smirked within, "Oh? But then again, that would mean that I _can_ fool you with a _different_ excuse then?"

Heat glared at her. She was twisting his words damn it!

Whereas before he doubted her sharp wit, now he was retracting back his words. Maybe he had been mistaken about her yet again!

Retaliating, he pressed himself against her even tighter still, now starting to feel that raw hot feeling from within…That blazing feeling that originated from the very bowels of soul…

A sensation that he knew that she evoked from him.

"I'd love to see you try…" he said, smirking, leaning closer to her, bringing their faces closer to one another's.

Argilla's cheeks flushed red as she found herself in a most compromising position. She didn't really know why she should feel uncomfortable with him…but she just did.

There was a distant voice within her that told her that positions such as those were unacceptable.

It seemed completely alien to her since Heat was a comrade and a friend; he wasn't a hostile in which she should treat with retaliation or violence. If she had been held this way, pinned against the wall and gagged, by an enemy, then she would've have felt uncomfortable. But in this case…with her being held prisoner the way he kept her…and with the way that he looked at her…

Yes, she could see it in his eyes.

There was something that he wanted from her…or something that he wanted to tell her…but couldn't.

Well, with those sensations that were sliding down from her spine…she knew that such a position with him…was totally inconceivable. Yes; even if he were a friend and comrade, the feeling of aloofness at their current positions couldn't be ignored.

"Let go Heat." she said again.

And again, he shook his head, "Not until I get what I want."

Argilla raised an eyebrow as she heard his comment but at the same time quelled the raw sensation of heat from within her body as she heard such a statement.

She looked into his eyes…and saw only red.

Red.

Red…him.

Yes; she hadn't forgotten her mission. Hm; perhaps she could use this to her advantage.

"What is it that you want, exactly?" she asked back, playing his game, now trying to see his limit…the limit of his cool façade.

Heat was confused. Now what? His instincts had instructed him to go this far with her…But now that he had reached the endpoint, he was puzzled as to the next step to take.

What did he want from her, exactly…?

His body slightly trembled.

There was a distant feeling within him that stirred for attention. And there, as he looked into the woman's pink pools, he thought that he had understood what that feeling was.

And he did.

He blinked.

He felt…deprived.

'Deprived of…what?' he thought in sudden confusion, realizing that he had not the answer for it.

He looked from her perfectly arched eyebrows, to her tantalizing bright eyes, to her cute nose…to her flushed cheeks…and then finally to her full pink lips…

He licked his own lips, 'Why the fuck do I want to…'

He didn't dare finish that thought.

But then again, like any recalcitrant child, the thought had come across his mind and had completed itself, displaying to him the very sensation that he didn't want to realize.

'Why the fuck do I want her…?' he thought in confusion.

Argilla was confused. There they were, within that alley. The sun had gone completely down and the night had arrived. They had been standing there for God knows how long, but still nothing had been exchanged and nothing had transpired between them.

She was getting…bored; bored…but uncomfortable all the same.

She had been waiting for him to speak…but he had said nothing. And to make matters worse, he seemed to have gone to a different dimension of his own.

She parted her lips and prepared for a long laundry list of expressed disdain but found herself unable as she found his hungry lips upon hers instead.

Heat didn't know what came over him…All that he knew was that he had felt something for this woman…He had kept close watch upon what this curious sensation was. And he had kept it at bay…but seeing her within his grasp…pressed up against the wall the way she was…Helpless…Vulnerable…

And finally, the final catalyst, the parting of her lips…

There, he had found that his control had finally been severed. And so, giving into his instinct, he let himself go.

He had not expected their contact to evoke what sensations it had induced but he had been mistaken…

The pressing of lips was something that he could not fathom. If asked, he never would've condoned such an act. To him, such an act would not only be in appropriate…but it would be senseless and unthinkable.

Of what purpose would there be to press and mesh lips together?

But he knew now that such doubts and thoughts about such an activity could only come from people who had _never_ experienced such an activity…

And there, as his lips continued to duel against hers…as he felt her resistance against him…as he felt his own desire to dominate and reign her, to climb and mount her…He suddenly thought that he had heard something…or someone whisper into his ears…

'A kiss…'

'A kiss…?' he repeated mentally.

Was that what they were doing called…?

'Kissing…?'

He smirked against her lips as he felt her getting annoyed and restless…He chuckled against her mouth as he heard her growl…

At hearing that throaty purr from her, his hair began to stand on one end, excitement seeping into his spine, sending erratic waves to his heart.

Suddenly he had the urge to cage her. Yes, he knew that she would attempt to free herself from his hold. And for some reason, that event was something that he would never want to come to pass. He wanted to have her within his strong arms…kissing her the way he did…the way he wanted…

For always.

And so, sensing her muscles tightening, his hands had once more bound hers and pressed them at either side of her face as his lips and demanding tongue devoured hers. His weight pinned her effectively, letting her feel the growing need that he felt for her…letting her know and realize that there wasn't a chance of escape…and that the road to salvation was a road that only he could show.

Argilla's eyes were widened with shock. What was this that they were…doing…? Why was Heat doing this to her…!?

'Shut up! You know it feels…good.' her inner self said.

At that, her pink eyes began to slowly draw to a close…and there…she closed her eyes altogether, noting within herself that whatever it was that they were doing…did feel…strangely nice.

Soon, as her hands were still bound by his, without a chance of escape, she gave up her futile movements and had her muscles relaxed. He must've felt this as well as he had loosened his grip on her…

And so, now, she had had a realization of what it was that was transpiring in between them.

'A kiss.'

Soon, their moment had ended…and he drew apart from her.

They looked into each other's eyes and noted the acceptance within them. There was no feeling of awkwardness or confusion. They were both adults and there, they realized that what ever had happened between them was something that they had both wanted…and enjoyed.

Without further words, being spoken, more boldly now, their lips had once more gone for a duel of pure ardor.

All thoughts of her research and her color correlation had suddenly flown out of the window…

Heat's hands had by now left hers and had traveled over to her uniform…She gasped as his hands slid beneath the fabric of her uniform, delving for the already ignited flesh within…

She really didn't know what she was doing or why she was feeling what she was feeling…but something told her that it was all but natural. Granted, that she had never been touched in the way that he touched her…

But for some reason, it felt right.

And so, completely swept away by the tides of raw sensation, she let her comrade do what he wished…

Her mind suddenly shot up as she felt the cold sting of the chilly air around her. She opened her eyes and saw that his lips were now attached to the skin of her neck, his hands gripping her exposed hips…

She did a double-take and looked down, feeling and seeing that she had been undressed. How he managed to do it in a mere few moments was a mystery that she probably would never get to solve.

She hissed as she felt his teeth sink into her skin, producing puncture marks on it, "Heat…!! Stop it…!" she hissed.

She gasped and held onto him tightly as she felt his lips and tongue suckle and lick the bleeding wound. She gasped again as he pressed himself against her tighter still.

"W-what are you doing?!" she asked, now having control over her own sense of reasoning and her vocal chords.

Heat was annoyed. Just as he was getting comfortable…this woman had to ruin it by airing out some more of her harebrained ideas!

'Just when I was starting to…' he thought exasperatedly.

He was forced to draw back though as he heard her hiss and speak in a deadly tone. His eyes met hers with a look of indifference, "What?" he asked, confused at her questioning form.

She blinked, completely surprised, "Have you forgotten our code of decency!?" she screeched at him. "Are you crazy!?"

Crazy.

He had been called that before.

"Maybe." he replied casually, a mask of nonchalant countenance overshadowing his amused predisposition.

Argilla was shocked; what the hell was he thinking?! What the hell was he saying!?

'This…this isn't like the Heat I know…' she thought, again noting the discrepancy upon his behavioral patterns…

The Heat whom she knew was disciplined; sure, he could be a bit too eager for their missions, but he always kept himself in line with rules. Well, in most rules, that is. He had always kept himself in check. He did his duty as freely as he could…within the boundaries of rules and regulations.

But the Heat in front of her was completely different.

She felt the wind knocked out of her as she once more, felt his lips upon hers, silencing her. Her hands came up to his chest to push at him but he had meshed their trembling bodies together…

Yes.

They were both trembling…

She was trembling from…excitement…and anticipation…and she could only wonder of the sensations that he was getting.

She then heard a rustling sound. She opened her eyes and saw that it had been his cloak…He had discarded it and had let it fall onto the concrete floor uncouthly.

Again, her sense of duty had resurfaced…only to be silenced and altogether be abolished as his skillful tongue had worked its magic within her wet cavern…as it teased her own tongue to dance with his…having each passionate stroke continue to send her over the edge…

She then felt his hand upon hers…and there, she felt him guide her…She let him.

He guided her hand over to the buttons of his uniform…

She had let him.

He had asked her silently to undress him…

She had complied.

Her slender fingers, now obliged to her silent instructor, did as she was told…and there unbound her comrade from the bondage of his uniform…

He, however, had not been as gentle with her uniform the way she had been to his. He had ripped whatever it was that remained on her; which was, unfortunately, her underwear.

At that point, as she felt herself completely bare and utterly exposed to the elements…and most of all, to him, an unnerving and unsettling feeling found itself nestled within her chest, making her breathing labored.

There he was, his hands familiarizing themselves with the rest of her body…waking such bodily responses within her that she never thought possible…She found herself leaning towards his heathen touch. She knew that what ever it was they were doing was somehow a violation of their code of decency…but at that point, she was surprised to find that she neither felt disturbed nor did she care.

But it didn't change the fact…that she felt…embarrassed…

"Heat…Heat…" she moaned as he kissed the skin of her neck passionately, his hands traveling up and down her body…heating up her skin, leaving trails of fire in its wake…

'Fire…Fire…Heat…' she chanted over and over, realizing that yes…fire, that burning flame of passion did resemble her friend…her comrade…and now lover.

He drew back once more and looked into her eyes, now showing her the raw emotion that lay within.

She almost gasped in both surprise and embarrassment. There, within his crimson blood-red eyes were the emotions of need…of eternal longing…and the perpetual begging for fulfillment.

"Don't worry too much…" she heard him speak in that low and husky tone. She shivered in delight and at the same time apprehension as his palm touched her cheek. His touch was cold…but the feelings that he evoked was anything but chilly.

It was heated…fiery…

But be that as it may, his words had reached more than her ears. They had reached her heart. He had told her…not to worry…

And she believed him.

She closed her eyes once more.

Heat found himself smiling, despite his own surprise, as she heeded his words and closed her eyes once more, leaving her fate unto his mercy…

She opened her eyes once more as a thought entered her mind…and as she felt herself being hoisted upwards.

"Heat…!" she exclaimed worriedly, "We…we're still outside…!"

He stopped and set her back down, but nonetheless never allowing her any space to move. By now, they were both bare…and now, without giving their activity names or explanation, in one way or the other, both knew what had been to come…of what was to happen.

It had been pure instinct for the both of them…

But none of that could be beseeched at the moment; at least, not in Argilla's opinion.

Heat raised an eyebrow, "So?" he asked nonchalantly.

Her jaw dropped as her eyes widened, "What do you mean 'so?'?!" she asked, stunned disbelievingly.

He blinked, "Yea. That's what I mean. So what?"

She shook her head, "What the hell?! Have you totally gone crazy!? People could see us!!" she hissed in total shock.

Heat grinned, and leaned in towards her, pressing his forehead against hers, now empowered and emboldened by their earlier actions towards one another, "So what? Let them see. I don't give a damn…" He bared his teeth then as he received no response from her and continued, "Crazy…? Don't call me crazy Argilla." he warned, still having that Cheshire cat grin in place, "I've been called crazy before…and believe me, you don't want to know why…"

She gasped at that but held her tongue, heeding his friendly yet malevolent warning…beseeching his harsh yet truthful caveat.

Yes. That was another point to his score. Warning…A warning of imminent danger…Yes; that was another thing about him, wasn't it…?

'Danger…'

Heat blinked and spoke once more, "And what's more…is that you don't really want to be at the receiving end of the deal with a crazy guy…right…?"

She shook her head, her dazzled yet slightly fearful eyes refusing to leave his.

Heat's grin reached up to his ears as he saw utter compliance…

Aa…he loved seeing fear in people's eyes…

And now, to see it especially in hers, he was…ecstatic.

She opened her mouth to speak but this time, he had had enough of her stalling. He needed her…he needed fulfillment. His body, no!-his soul screamed for it.

Without further ado, he grabbed the woman and hoisted her up…before uniting their writhing bodies.

Argilla's eyes shot open as she felt a bold intruding force invade her body…

She felt her body resist…only to succumb in the end…reluctantly allowing the brutish male invader passage within her tight core.

Heat let out a strangled breath, his lips set on a grin just at the crook of her neck as he nestled himself comfortably within her womanhood…

'Holy fuck…' he thought in dazed amazement, 'Who the hell could think that…we could do this crap…?' he thought in ecstasy as he felt Argilla's womanhood grip his manhood tightly, clenching around him securely…

Soon though, he felt and heard the all-too-familiar call of instinct. There, he let it overtake him…

He moved within her expertly…

Harshly…

Violently…

Tumultuously…

He heard her gasp and moan…and it only fueled his desires further…

She held onto him tightly and there he felt all the more gladdened. She looked only to him…for her own freedom. She knew that he had the keys to her prison…

"Hey hold up man. I got crap on my boots…" a distant female voice said, making Argilla still her movements, her eyes widening in shock.

"Heat…!!" she hissed, "Stop!!" she continued to hiss under her breath.

The redhead stopped for but a moment before setting his lips on an impish grin, his eyes sparkling in untold shenanigan.

"Why…?" he asked with feigned innocence.

"There's someone there…!!" she hissed angrily, her palms pressing against his shoulders.

"Who the hell cares?" he asked back.

"I care damn it!" she retorted; irritated that he failed to comprehend the severity of the situation in which they unwittingly brought upon themselves.

"Well I don't!" he refuted.

Argilla said nothing; there was no point in trying to reason with a person like Heat. So, not heeding his words, she let her legs begin to unwrap from his waist.

Heat could feel his woman beginning to disentangle herself from him. In order to avert such an event, the redhead pressed himself tighter against her, bypassing the futile attempt of her hands to push him away, not giving her the space for any sort of maneuvers.

Argilla's jaw dropped and her eyesight blurred as she saw stars as her lover dove himself even deeper and harder within her, nullifying any speech that she may have had in mind.

But still…the voice of another person nearby brought her back to reality.

"Did you hear about that Feng Huang…?" a distant yet clear male voice said, giving Argilla a mental note on his supposed distance from herself and Heat.

"A few hundred yards…!!" she hissed.

And at that, the redhead just smirked as he continued to drive himself within her, harder and faster as the seconds ticked by.

"I don't…give a fuck…" he muttered, sparing his syllables and words a mere few seconds before grunting and groaning away.

"Man that chick was hot…" another voice said.

'How…how many of them are there?!' Argilla thought as she now kept her lips shut, just hoping against hope that they wouldn't be caught.

"Too bad she was part of that rookie faction huh?" the first male said.

"Yea…and look where she ended up." snorted the female.

"Right in leader's stomach!" the three said in unison, laughing.

"Heat…!" Argilla squealed as she felt him move within her frantically, now becoming deaf to the voices nearby…and knowing only of the redhead before her.

"Hey, what was that?" the male asked.

"It sounded like it's coming from the alley…" the other male commented, curiosity evident in his voice.

At that, again, Argilla froze.

"Let's check it out." the male said excitedly.

Again, Argilla's heart stopped only for it to resume its beating in an uncontrolled, frantic way.

"They're coming Heat…! Stop!" she pleaded…unfortunately, it was a plea that fell upon deaf ears.

"Let them see." he said, totally unbothered.

"But-!"

There was something more…

'Crazy excitement…!' she thought with a grunt; yes. That was another trait that he undoubtedly possessed.

"Shut up woman! Or they'll hear…!" he hissed at her, his lips right at the skin of her neck, "Or…are you unconsciously leading them here…?"

"What?!" she asked darkly, not understanding his sense of reasoning.

He chuckled just as darkly as he grinned, remorseful that the woman against him failed to see such a spectacle.

"Maybe…you _want_ us to get caught…hmm?" he whispered silkily, continuing to batter her now bruised body. "Maybe…you feel _good_ when you get found out…" he told her in a mock scolding fashion.

Argilla's eyes widened beyond normal proportion as she comprehended what he meant.

"What the hell are you-?"

"Haha…Maybe you're just not as clean as you pass yourself to be Argilla…" he taunted her, "Maybe you like people to stare at you…"

She growled, "Why the hell would I want people to stare at me when I'm…I'm…naked…?!" she asked, becoming a bit breathless as she continued to hold her concentration on speaking and at the same time, enduring his passionate calling.

He chuckled again, "Stop being a hypocrite…"

"…!" she gasped.

"You know this is exciting…" he told her. "If we don't get caught, good. If we do…then…" he trailed off.

"Thennn…?!" she drawled breathlessly, panting.

"Then…" he paused, his breathing becoming labored as well, "…then…Well, there's only one way to find out."

"So, what'll it be? Wanna check it out?" the second male asked.

At that, Heat's eyes widened and his grin broadened, strongly resembling that of an insane murderer's.

Argilla's heart was threatening to burst from her chest. There were no other words in which she could use to convince her partner to cease and desist. There was nothing that she could do as she found herself held captive by his strong arms and body…found herself bound by her own desires…

Yes; he was right, up to a certain degree…

She did feel rather thrilled and excited at the situation at hand…

And so, once more, she didn't want to care any longer. He was right. If they were to get caught…then let it be.

She didn't care anymore.

'I don't want to care…' she thought as she finally closed her eyes, succumbing to the call of Heat's strokes…and his primordial mating dance.

He smirked triumphantly as the woman against him grew lax…

She surrendered to him…and for that, he was happy.

And it would seem that luck was on his side as well…

'The three idiots left…' he thought in lame expression before shoving all thoughts of the youngsters out of his mind.

He froze though as he felt his end coming near.

And so, like a volcano that had already reached critical mass, he let himself go. He let his essence mingle with hers in a hot rush of waves of pleasure…before letting his seed invade her body.

"Heat…!!!" she screamed as she had undoubtedly reached her private Nirvana.

Still having that grin on his face, he held the woman ever so tightly against his hard chest before sliding down on the wall with her.

Now lying on the floor, he engulfed her within a tight embrace, sliding his hands up and down, "See? We didn't get caught."

She made a sour face at that, now having caught her breath.

She, lying on his chest, raised her head and gave him a dry look, "We just got lucky."

He grinned at that, "So, does that mean that you want to try that again? See if we get lucky again?"

She gave him another lame look and drawled, "No thanks…You can do that yourself."

He pouted, "Oh come on…"

She rolled her eyes but said nothing.

Heat was getting irked; she asked for it! "You weren't saying that a while ago."

Argilla raised an eyebrow; the nerve of this guy!

"What?! I wanted to say something but you kept-"

"Kept what?" he asked, still grinning impishly.

She blushed a deep crimson and bit her lip, quelling herself from gasping. "You…you…"

He chuckled and pulled her closer against him, "Don't give me that…You had fun too, right?"

She said nothing. He was right. And so, she just nodded.

His grin widened as his eyes did too, "So…wanna have…a second run?"

She blinked at that. A second run…? Of what…?

He wiggled his eyebrows at seeing her apparent bemused state and again, she blushed a deep shade of raspberry.

"Heat…We're still…"

"Outside?" he asked, cutting her off. She nodded and he chuckled, "So what…? Like I said, we didn't get caught…and who cares if we do?"

She was stunned at his words.

'He's…daring. Maybe too daring.' she thought.

She gasped as she suddenly found herself sprawled on her back, with him on top of her, his palms on either side of her face, "So, what do you say…?"

She made a lame face, "Can I even say 'no'?"

He looked away and thought wistfully before responding, "No…Not really."

She snorted at that and began to speak but found herself cut off for the nth time that day as his lips crashed against hers violently.

xxxxx

The two snuggled together tenderly, just merely hovering over the other, still enshrouded within the warm and ecstatic folds of blind euphoria…

"Heat?"

"Yea?"

"What…what was that that we just did…? Again?"

The man shrugged his shoulders, "Dunno."

She suddenly stiffened as again, once more, a voice seemed to have penetrated the thin cool air and brushed against her ear, 'Sex…' the voice seemed to say.

"Sex?" he asked.

She blushed; how did he know?! Did he hear that voice too…? Or was it her speaking out loud? Either way, Argilla didn't think that she wanted to know.

She sighed. She was exhausted. She had had a long day…and equally a very long afternoon and evening…

She just closed her eyes and scooted ever closer to her friend…her comrade…her…

'He's my what…exactly?'

She didn't know the exact term but she knew in her heart that if there was a time that he would…

"Heat?"

"Yea?"

"If you ever do this…with another girl…" she said, trailing off, now having her inhibitions gone, given into instinct and pure sensation, "I'll gut you and I'll devour her."

She had expected him to retaliate. But he didn't. Instead, he just chuckled.

"Whatever." he told her nonchalantly. "But, if I ever see a man touch you…like that, I'll kill him and drink his blood. Yours too."

At that, at declaring their statements and terms, the two pulled apart to look into each other's eyes.

Argilla was glad at two things.

One, she was glad that they saw eye to eye. She was glad that he wanted what she wanted. They wanted one another…and even if what they felt for one another knew not names, they both agreed, silently, that they would figure it out…together.

Two, she read his eyes perfectly and within them the sensations and emotions that she knew existed within him, danced freely…albeit elusively. There were the characteristics of the Heat that she knew long ago.

The look of bloody murder swam in his eyes as she saw the feeling of possessiveness within them; possessiveness that he felt for her. There was the look of imminent danger should she cross him.

But that wasn't all…

What he had made her feel and what he had made her go through…

He had shown her strength; his physical and emotional prowess not once but twice in a row! He had been daring enough to carry out their passionate act in such a place…without fear of getting discovered. In fact, they had been only a few minutes away from being caught…but he was still unbothered.

His soul burned with excitement within those arduous moments…just like the way he was whenever they would go for a hunt.

Aa, yes, that was the way to describe him, wasn't it?

'He's strong…filled with excitement…doing everything he does with dedication…and with passion.'

That was the Heat she knew. And now that she had seen that other passionate side of him, she wondered. Why did she say that his behavior had deviated from his standard one…?

Well, there was one way to find out.

"Heat?"

"What?" he asked gruffly, slightly vexed that the woman beside him had shattered his fragile train of thought…which was ironic since his thoughts only consisted of her…

"Why did we do…what we did?" she asked in a meek tone, almost timidly.

Heat froze at that. Why indeed? Why did he do such an act with her; _her_ of all people?

He had been honest in all the while that he had been with her. No; that was wrong. He had been as honest as he could be his entire career. Lying wasn't his style and now, nothing would change. He would tell her the truth.

"I want you." he deadpanned.

Argilla's eyes widened. He wanted her…? For how long…?

"When…when did you…?"

"When did I start to become crazy and crave an idealistic bitch who's too picky about her own food?" he asked, scoffing.

She frowned and playfully hit him on his arm, "Hey!"

He said nothing within that moment, his face expressionless, not feeling the least bit of the supposed force of her hit, and there, answered in a solemn and serious tone, "…For as long as I can remember."

Something within her felt warm as she heard his unbecoming words. And the manner in which he spoke his small confession…was something that had made all the difference.

She parted her lips to say something but he had cut her off, "Save it woman. I don't want to hear it. Just leave it at that, alright?" he told her, his tone akin to concealment…and embarrassment.

She understood and said nothing more.

"So, why were you tailing me woman?" asked the redhead, shifting the attention from him to her.

Again, at that, she blushed and wondered…She asked the same question, 'What now genius? What should we tell him?'

"And this time, don't lie. It's too obvious when you lie." he said, drawling.

She bit her lip; she had considered telling him another story…but then again, as she recalled that he had been honest, she knew that she should be honest as well.

Well, she just had to bite the bullet.

"I want to know about you." she told him flatly, no longer hiding it or getting embarrassed about it.

Heat was in a gloating mood. He opened his mouth to talk but she cut him off, "Save it man. I don't want to hear it. Just leave it at that, alright?" she said, mimicking him.

He wanted to question her more…but he deemed that it was inappropriate. Just as she had used his exact same words, he knew that she was using the same argument that he did; privacy of the thoughts and feelings that neither he nor she was ready to divulge thoroughly at the moment.

Both had no doubt that the time would come when the two of them would be comfortable enough to discuss such emotional matters…but that time was far off.

It would come.

In time.

And so, Heat left it at that and didn't question any further.

But still, he was happy. She wanted to know about him; him and him alone.

Argilla closed her eyes and lay on him…now, more than ever, exposed to the elements…and to whoever would bother to watch them. But then again, she didn't care. If Heat didn't care, she didn't really see any reason to.

And as per his behavioral discrepancy…?

She smiled as she sighed, laying her head on his chest, hearing his heart beating in a slow yet lively rhythm, 'He's the same Heat after all. There was a change…but now, I have a feeling that his behavior would revert back to the way it was…'

Yes. There was no doubt about that.

He had told her himself. The reason why he had acted strangely…was because of the sensations that he had felt for her; sensations and thoughts that he didn't understand…or want.

He felt frustrated at his lack of comprehension…and hence, it had led to the discrepancies that she had borne witness to the last previous days.

But now, now that they had finally laid out in the open their thoughts, feelings and desires…and had fulfilled them, he had returned back to the way he was.

And that wasn't all.

She had picked up from their arduous and strenuous activity, specks and parts of his old personality; the traits that she had come to know him for. Even if his change in behavior was evident and apparent, there still had been kept traces of his old personality…peeking every here and there throughout their passionate dance.

He had been strong…passionate…bloodthirsty…demanding…dangerous…Yes; he had also displayed a degree of anger…and much to her chagrin, excitement at an otherwise precarious situation.

And so, she had come up with a conclusion, 'Red…is for strength…passion…anger, blood, danger…and at the same time masculinity…dominance…power…excitement.'

She wanted to squeal. There were so many attributes that could be affiliated with her lover…Of all the colors that she had explored, red had been the most promising, the most prominent and the most fulfilling.

She then wondered, 'What about pink…? I wonder what we're like…?' She knew very well that she couldn't conduct the same experiment with herself being the subject! Oh well. Maybe she wasn't meant to know what pink-haired people were like.

'If only there was a person like me…who was like me! Curious in things like this…who would maybe conduct the research on…me!' she thought, beaming at her own senseless thoughts.

Oh well.

Perhaps that was the point of being pink-haired.

But then again, she'd never know that.

And at the thought of colors and hues, there emerged a thought that she couldn't get out of her mind.

If red had been fulfilling…and "fun" to do "research" on…then she couldn't help but wonder…

'I wonder what qualities purple has…Ooohh…maybe orange…or white or violet!'

xxxxx

FIN

**A/N: **

**Color Symbolism:** This is the central theme of this fic. This is the use of colors as symbols in various cultures and religion. In psychology, color symbolism has been used to assign personality traits to a person.

Just a quick recap of color symbols and their personality traits: Kindly note that the quick traits given below are _inclusive_ of the said traits for the colors but _aren't limited to_ the listed traits below. For more in depth information, you are all free to do all your research.

**Gray:** Dull, drab, boring.

**Red:** Passion, blood, sex, love.

**Green:** Harmony, growth, balance.

**Blue:** Confidence, loyalty, friendliness

**Pink:** Femininity, love, gratitude, appreciation

**Black:** Elegance, mysteriousness, style.


End file.
